The Rise of Voldemort
by Just a Girl
Summary: After the summer of his 4th year, Harry is sent to live with the Dursleys once more. But dreams have been keeping him up at night, more than he can ignore. When his godfather, Sirius is missing, they may be the only clue to his whereabouts. Please R&R!


After the amazing happenings at Hogwarts last year, Harry Potter wasn't sure how he  
was supposed to live a normal life at the Dursley's that summer. He had seen Lord Voldemort  
rise back to power and, although not with consent, contributed to it. He couldn't help but   
wonder what sorts of things Professor Dumbledore had planned in over the summer to fight him.  
He paced the length of his room. Several times he had tried to send an owl to his Godfather,   
Sirius, but each time Hedwig had come back with his letter still tied to her leg.   
Remembering Dumbledore's last request to Sirius, he wondered what had happened to him, and   
he paced faster. Suddenly, he got an idea. Dumbledore had last told Sirius to go to Lupin's.   
So Harry quickly sat down with a quill and a piece of parchment and wrote,  
Dear Remus,  
What's happening in the outside world? I saw what happened in that graveyard, and no one can tell me that Voldemort isn't back. Where's Sirius? I keep trying to write to him, but each time Hedwig comes back with my letter still not opened. It's starting to worry me. Nearly every night I have woken up with my scar hurting. Please send me back an answer as soon as possible. I'm getting worried.  
Harry  
He read over it. Yes, it looked pretty good. He had gotten to the point, which was the most important thing. Quickly he tied it to Hedwig's leg and she flew off. He watched her fly off until she became a small dot in the distance. Then, sighing, he headed on downstairs for the cheery morning breakfast of a quarter of a grapefruit. Most unfortunately, Dudley's diet from last summer didn't work too well at Smeltings, where he had many friends to help him smuggle food. So it was back to eating like a bird all summer. Harry's Aunt Petunia thought, anyway. Just as last year, though, Harry's friends had sent him different things to eat. He was looking forward to fudge when he got back upstairs.   
"When do we have to take you to that ruddy school again?" Uncle Vernon barked.  
"Um...September 1," he said.  
Uncle Vernon muttered something. Harry thought it best not to respond.  
As soon as the mostly silent breakfast was over, he dashed back upstairs and started on his homework.   
After a while, a brownish missile zoomed inside and started flying around the room. "Hold still, Pig!" Harry yelled, but Ron's owl didn't listen.   
Harry made a grab for him, missed, then tried again and made it. He pulled of the letter and read in Ron's messy handwriting,  
Dear Harry,  
According to Dad, things are going crazy at the ministry. It's so divided. Lots of people believe you, but Rita Skeeter's column hit home with tons of people. Dad's been trying to tell them about all the times that Skeeter's lied about the ministry, but they still won't listen. Fudge is denying the whole thing, and Dad's been demoted. Lucius Malfoy hasn't been seen at the Ministry since that night. How obvious can it be? Some people are saying that he's been killed, but you'd have to be pretty thick to swallow that. What it Rita got wind of that, eh? Too bad Hermione's still got her locked up in a bottle, (I think.)   
The worst of it is still to come. We can't find Percy. He got Mr. Crouch's job, and has been working hard. But one time he went off to work, and all of a sudden, his hand on the clock's been stuck in between "Lost" and "Mortal Peril." What's You-Know-Who gonna have to do until people believe you? Mum's getting pretty worried. She wants to come get you now, but Dumbledore still won't let her. She's getting antsy. Send Pig back so that Mum still knows you're alive.   
Ron  
Harry got out a fresh piece of parchment and wrote,  
Ron,  
I'm still alive, but I don't know about Sirius! I keep trying to send Hedwig after him, but my letters come back unopened. I sent her to Remus. You remember how Dumbledore told him to go to Lupin's? Maybe he's still there. I don't know. Have you heard from Hermione? I haven't. I was wondering if she was with you, but then wouldn't you have said something?   
I can't believe that about Percy. Is the Ministry looking for him? Aside from you, I haven't heard from anyone all summer. I'd be happy for a letter from Hogwarts just to know it's still there! Write back soon,  
Harry  
He tried to hold Pig down to put on his answer, but he shrieked and squirmed away. Next thing Harry knew he was darting around the room again. Harry groaned. The last thing he needed was Dudley in here, trying to kill his best friend's owl. Then again, he thought, jumping up in the air to catch him and landing with a dull thud, maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. Finally he caught the blasted thing and tied the letter to it. It flew off, going every which way in the most crooked path possible. The excitement of the day gone, Harry went back to his homework.   
  
Two days later, Hedwig flew back into his room with a letter tied to her leg. It was a different size from the one he had sent. Anxiously he crossed the room and read the response, while Hedwig landed on his shoulder, hooting.  
Dear Harry,  
No one knows where Sirius is. He went off one day and didn't return. We are getting no cooperation from the Ministry, so he is rising faster than ever. Fudge refused to take the dementors away from Azkaban, so Voldemort will soon have his most faithful servants back. Harry, I really don't know what's going to happen, but it's quite obvious that you are Voldemort's next target. Don't do anything stupid, and if you see hide or hair of Sirius, let me know.  
Remus  
Harry put the letter down, shaking. No one could find Sirius or Percy. The Ministry was in dissary. All of these sorts of things, disappearances, chaos, weren't they the types of things that people always said were linked to the rise of Voldemort? And his dreams…he had had more and more dreams about Voldemort murdering people. Three muggles, Percy and another Ministry member. More than ever, he hoped his dreams weren't real. He imagined the look on Mrs. Weasly's face if they discovered her son dead…  
Harry shook it out of his mind. He needed to write Ron, desperately. Someone. Of course, Dumbledore would already know, and Hermione would be panicky. At times like this, he would write so Sirius. But thinking about Sirius hurt. So he wrote to Ron.  
Ron,  
Remus doesn't know anything about Sirius, either! Sirius and Percy are both missing! I really don't know if I should tell you this, but you're his brother, and I think you should know. Just don't tell your Mum, she'd freak.   
One week ago yesterday, I had another one of my weird dreams. You know, with Voldemort and Wormtail. The slimiest creature on earth, Peter Pettigrew. Anyway, Percy went with a team from the Ministry to the graveyard. The one that the cup was a Portkey to. Percy and someone else from the Ministry went inside the nearby house that Voldemort's Dad was killed in. They saw a fire in the window, and the place was supposed to be deserted. When they went inside and into the room, Wormtail was there. And Voldemort turned and…he looked exactly like when I saw him in his body…and…and…he used…Avada Kedavra.  
Oh, Ron, I shouldn't have told you that, forget I said anything, it was just a stupid dream, just forget it. He's probably on some top-secret mission for cauldron bottoms or something. Ron, it'll be better for you if you forget that. Send me an owl if you hear anything on Percy, Sirius, or from Hermione.  
Harry  
Not giving himself a chance to think, he sent it out on Hedwig.  
  
Cora Lestrange wearily picked up her head. Outside, she heard the unmistakable high-pitched voice talking to one of the dementors. Her door was opened and the face of Lucius Malfoy came into view. "Come, we have taken over Azkaban," he said. "The Dark Lord wants to see you."  
Renewed with hope, she went out of her cell. Kevin, her husband, was already standing next to the Dark Lord. "My most faithful servants," he hissed. "You went to Azkaban not to renounce me. And you will be rewarded."  
"Thank-you, Master," Cora gasped.   
"You will be second in command to me, both of you," he said. "And now, we have the dementors on our side. Although the Giants have already joined Dumbledore, I still have a plan. Come, now."  
And he turned and Disapperated off the island, his Death Eaters following.  
  
Time passed slowly. Harry hadn't heard anything at the Dursley's about the wizarding world. Hedwig had come back without a letter. He longed to send an owl to Hermione, but what could he tell her? It was her nature to be panicky. But he was starting to feel edgy, too. So he decided to write her a letter telling her everything that happened.   
Hermione,  
Sirius is missing. Percy is missing. The ministry is in chaos. I just want to know that you're OK. Please write back.   
Harry  
He tied it to Hedwig, who flew off. Then he went downstairs and out on the street. He had been given a lot more freedom these past two summers, since he had told the Dursleys that he had a convicted murderer for a godfather. He didn't mention that tiny little detail that he was innocent.   
Walking down the street, he saw a shaggy black dog trotting down the street. "Sirius!" he cried.   
The dog wagged its tail. "You can't change here. We need to go into an alley."  
The dog wagged his tail again. So Harry led him to a side street that was deserted. He looked around, trying to find out if there was anyone there. When he looked back, the dog was still there. "What're you waiting for? C'mon!" he said nervously.  
The dog did nothing. He came over and licked Harry's hand.  
"Sirius, c'mon. Know one knows where you've been!"  
The dog licked his hand again. Then he barked.   
"Shh, you want someone to come over here?"  
He barked again. When he stopped, he looked expectant. Absentmindedly, Harry scratched his head. The dog wagged his tail and barked again. Suddenly, Harry looked crestfallen. "You're not Sirius, are you?"  
The dog made no response. "If you're Sirius, do one lap around me."  
The dog just sat down, looking puzzled. Harry sighed. "Go home. Go on!"  
He whined, but trotted one back out of the alley. Scuffing his feet, Harry started back out onto the main road. When he arrived back to the Dursley's, they were gone. The house was standing wide open, windows smashed. Harry had a feeling of unease. Was this just a regular Muggle burglary, or Voldemort and his supporters after him? Either way, he didn't want to go back into the house. He backed away and fled down the street.  
On instinct, he turned back into the back alley. Severus Snape was already standing there.  
"Professor Snape!" he stuttered, quiet taken by surprise.   
"Quiet, Potter, there's no time," he hissed. "The Dark Lord has taken over Azkaban and has made you his first target. Professor Dumbledore sent me to get you."  
"Professor, the Dursley's house…"  
Snape had gone even paler.  
"There is no time to retrieve your things now," he said. "Unless…you do have your wand, don't you?"  
Harry nodded.  
"Good. The Dark Lord is probably in your house right now, ready to kill the first person who comes in. We have to leave."  
"Sir, what about the Dursleys…"  
"There is no time," Snape said resentfully. "Potter, is there anything you have in there that the Dark Lord could use to help himself?"  
"Er, well, there's the Invisibility Cloak…and the Firebolt…"  
"Anything else?" he pressed.  
"Well, um, no. Not really. Just some spellbooks."  
Snape sighed. "That's good. He doesn't need a broomstick, and can already turn invisible on his own devices." He stuck out his wand hand and flagged down the Knight Bus. Harry suddenly realized how late it was. "I daresay you will have your things back soon, Potter," Snape said.   
Snape paid Harry's way on the bus and led him up to the top, where they were by themselves. "Professor," Harry said, treading on dangerous ground, "I know you didn't like him, but, er, have you heard anything from Sirius?"  
Snape twitched, then frowned. "Although I don't like him," he seethed, "it doesn't mean that I don't worry about anyone lost, possibly in the hands of the Dark Lord. I haven't heard from him, Potter, but I assure if I do, you will be one of the first to know."  
Harry was satisfied. He leaned against the window and looked out. "Where am I going?"  
"Hogwarts."  
This made sense. Harry doubted that Voldemort could hurt him there, particularly if Albus Dumbledore was involved. When they arrived at Hogwarts, he was waiting for them.  
"Thank-you, Severus…good, good…Ms. Granger is already here, waiting for you."  
"Hermione?" Harry asked, disbelieving.   
"Yes. Voldemort knows the people who are close to you, Harry," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "He would take them as a lure, or bait. Mr. Ron Weasley, along with the rest of the Weasleys, will be joining us tom…"  
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione squeled, coming towards him. "Are you alright?"  
"Yes, fine," he said, prying her fingers off his arm. "Professor Dumbledore, you haven't heard from Sirius, have you?"  
Dumbledore's eyes stopped twinkling. "No, and he won't be the last to disappear…come now, Remus is waiting in the Great Hall for you."  
Still shocked by all that had happened so far, he followed Dumbledore into the school.  
"I was so worried!" Hermione said once they got in. "For one thing I already knew what was going on that You-Know-Who was after you, but I didn't realize how badly! When Professor Lupin came to my house and told me to come, I asked him if you were OK and he said that he hadn't heard from you that lately and I've been here waiting for you and…oh, Harry!"  
She grabbed his arm. "I just realized---Sirius! I haven't seen him at all! What did Dumbledore mean, disappear?"  
"You haven't gotten my owl yet," Harry observed. "He's gone missing and no one's seen him."  
"Since everyone coming will be in Gryfindor, it seems foolish to be in the Great Hall. Harry, would you like to go to sleep now or later?" Dumbledore said.  
"Now."  
"Ms. Grager?"  
"I'm really very tired."  
"All right. I am going to get some dinner. We will wake you up in the morning."  
"Professor," Snape said, "When I reached Potter…"  
"Oh, yes," Dumbledore said. "Harry, I do need you to come this way. I need to speak with you alone." He beckoned to him, and Harry followed. Snape did as well.   
When they reached the statue, Dumbledore said quietly to Snape, "I wish to speak with Harry alone."  
Snape looked distinctly ruffled, but left anyway. "Pear Drop," he said to the statue, and it opened to reveal Dumbledore's office.   
Suddenly, a thought struck Harry. "Sir, the Dursleys! They're going to walk into the house, and…"  
"The Dursleys are dead, Harry," Dumbledore said softly.   
Harry froze.   
"They were in the house when Voldemort got there," he continued. "He was…merciless. It was very smart of you not to go into the house, or their bodies would have been the last thing you saw."  
Harry still didn't say anything. "He wants me…that badly?"  
"You were to only person to escape from him. Once, when only a baby and when he was at the height of his power. Again, at the age of eleven, when he was a wreck of a creature. And most recently, less than three months ago, in a duel. You have caused him great embarrassment. Of course he wants you that badly."  
Harry couldn't believe it. "Why did you send Snape out to get me?"  
"He was the person nearest to you and could get to you in the quickest time. Even with his speedy arrival, I feared he was too late."  
"Who went to get Ron?"  
"I sent them an owl personally, since the whole family is coming."  
Harry's brain felt like it was about to explode. He had so many more questions that he wanted to ask, but they were buzzing in his brain so much that it was nearly impossible to land one.  
"Does Fudge believe you yet?"  
Dumbledore's eyes flickered. "Fudge is still turning a blind eye on the truth. We cannot count on him."  
"Is the Ministry looking for Percy Weasley?"  
"That I do not know. But I can assure you that I am trying to find him myself."  
Harry hesitated. "Professor, I, er, had a dream about Percy."  
"Indeed?"  
"Er, yes. I dreamed that he and someone else from the Ministry---I didn't know who--went into the house where Voldemort's father was killed…and…Voldemort was in the chair…and he turned around…and…I think he used Avada Kedavra."  
Dumbledore's face fell. "Then my search has been in vain. Did your scar hurt when you woke up?"  
"Terribly."  
Dumbledore leaned back against his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. "You may go to bed now, Harry, and I will call you if I hear anything from Sirius."  
He retreated for the Gryfindor tower.   
When he reached the Fat Lady, however, he was stumped. What was the new password? "Fairy Lights?" he asked timidly.  
She didn't move. "What, you don't know the password?" she said crossly.  
"Er-no."  
At that moment, she swung open and let Hermione out. "Harry," she whispered. "This came."  
She handed out a letter. It was written in shining red letters. "The owl that delivered it was red, too," she said.  
He seized it out of her hand.   
THE DARK LORD HAS YOUR GODFATHER, HARRY POTTER. IF YOU TELL DUMBLEDORE, HE WILL BE KILLED. ANOTHER PARENT DEAD, HARRY POTTER, BUT THIS TIME, YOU CAN STOP IT. WHAT WILL YOU DO, HARRY POTTER? IT IS EITHER HIS LIFE OR YOURS. THERE IS NO THIRD CHOICE. COME TO GET HIM, OR HE DIES.   
LORD VOLDEMORT IS WAITING FOR YOU.  
Harry squeezed his eyes shut tight. "No," he whispered.  
"Harry, we have to tell Dumbledore!" Hermione said in panic.  
"We can't!" Harry snapped back. "If we do, Sirius'll be killed!"  
"But Harry…"  
"No," he said. "Hermione, I have to go after him."  
"What?" she said, her eyes widening. "Harry, it's a trap!"  
"You think I don't know that?" he said. "I don't care, Hermione, it's my fault Sirius is in this mess!"  
"You think it's your fault for who you are?" she asked. "What you did at the age of one? Harry, at least wait for Ron to get here, Harry, please don't do anything stupid. This is not your fault! You can't help what happened when you were only a year old!"  
Harry didn't reply. "What's the password?" he asked instead.  
"Boomslang. Harry, promise me that you won't leave tonight," Hermione said sternly.  
He said nothing.  
"Harry listen to me!" She was raising her voice now. "Even if you do leave, where will you go? I'm not making you promise that you won't leave, just not tonight! We have to approach this logically!"  
At his silence, she closed her eyes and tears seeped out the edges. "Harry, I don't want you killed and neither does Sirius. Think, Harry! Please. I couldn't stand to lose you. You're one of my best friends. What about the Weasleys? Mrs. Weasley?"  
At this, Harry considered. "All right. I promise I won't leave tonight. But I'm not promising that I won't leave altogether. But I'll wait, for tonight, at least."  
"Thank-you, Harry," she said. "Try to sleep tonight. We're leaving tomorrow."  
"We?" he asked in surprise.  
"Of course, 'we'. Do you really think that Ron and I'll let you go alone? We just need to know where to go. Try to remember what you dream tonight, Harry, because it may be a hint."  
They climbed back into the portrait hole and up their separate staircases. He went into his room, uncharacteristically empty. Lying on his bed, he had a sudden jolt of fear. His death was inevitable. He would die.  
  
"So tell me, Sirius Black," Voldemort said, laughing. "Will your godson, Harry Potter, come for you here?"  
Black said nothing. He was determined not to help him in any way.   
"Crucio!" Voldemort suddenly yelled, pointing his wand at him.  
White-hot pain, like thousands of stabbing knives, ran through him. His eyes rolled up in his head. He couldn't think-couldn't see. Then it was gone. He sagged against his ropes, sore. He could hear the Death Eaters jeering at him.   
"Well!" Voldemort said, eyes full of malice. "This weakling was supposed to be a spy for me! He spent thirteen years in Azkaban for me, when truly he hates me! Your best friend, James, did try to fight me off in the end. Lilly, foolish girl, took the boy and ran. Surely you must have some memory of them here, in this place? No one would ever dream I would come here, the place where I met my downfall! And now, Harry Potter will look for you, but will he come here? Perhaps. But Black," Voldemort lowered his voice to a whisper and bent down to his ear, "James was foolish as well. He trusted you, when truly, you are the one who delivered them right into the hands of my servant!"  
Sirius used all his might, but couldn't break the ropes. The Death Eaters were laughing, laughing, but drowned out by the cold, high-pitched cackle that rang into the night. "Crucio!" he yelled again.  
  
Harry awoke with a start. His scar was splitting his head open, so he let out a few choice words. He squeezed his eyes shut, but it was no use. The pain went on and on, as though he were the one who had been hit with the curse. Just as suddenly, it stopped. Light was just peeking over the window, letting him see a bit. All of his things were there. Someone must have gone to his house to get them.  
He recalled the dream, remembering what Hermione said. They were…where? Where Voldemort had met his downfall… "Surely you must have some memory of them here, in this place?" Where would that be? Where would…  
He gasped. "My house," he said, barely audible in the empty room.   
He ran down the stairs and up to Hermione's room before he forgot it. "Hermione!" he yelled into the nearly empty room.   
There was a groan. "What, Harry?" she said groggily.  
"I know where Voldemort is."  
She sat up, wide awake. "What? Where?"  
"My house, Hermione. The house of my parents."  
She gaped at him. "Harry, do you even know where that is?"  
He took a deep breath. "Of course I do, it's…"  
But he stopped. "Wait! I know how we can find out!"  
He tore down the stairs and back up to his dormitory, Hermione at his heels. Reaching in his trunk, he searched frantically until he found a leather-bound book. It was the photo album Hagrid had given to him in his first year. Flipping through the pages, he found what he was looking for. In front of him was a picture of his parents, waving to him from their new house.   
"There," he said triumphantly. "The Broomhut, Godric's Hollow."  
Hermione was beaming at him. "Now we know where we have to go."  
They went into the common room to wait for Ron. The portrait hole burst open after a few minutes, and his face popped into view.   
"'lo, Harry!" he said, grinning. "Guess we got to come back to Hogwarts early, eh? Not too bad! We've got the whole place to ourselves!"  
"Come outside," Harry said. "We need to tell you something."  
Looking at their grim faces, Ron sighed. "OK, how do I need to get myself killed this time?" he asked.  
But how indeed he didn't find out at that moment because the rest of the Weasleys turned up. "Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried, running up to him and giving him a hug. "Oh, when Dumbledore said we needed to come to Hogwarts I was so worried because I was afraid that something had happened to you and I didn't know what to do but now you're safe so everything's all right!"  
Harry managed to slip underneath her arms. "I'm fine," he said. "Really, everything's OK."  
The twins, Fred and George came in and caused a lot of commotion by setting off several fireworks. In the confusion, Harry grabbed the letter and he, Ron and Hermione slipped outside.   
They showed Ron the letter. He gasped.   
"Harry, this can't be right, maybe there's a mistake…You-Know-Who can't have Sirius…"  
"Ron," Harry said, beginning to get angry, "I had a dream last night and Voldemort had Sirius and was using the Cruciatus curse on him and they were at my old house. We have to save him."  
"When can we leave?" Ron asked, as though not very enthusiastic about it.  
"Right now. Let's get our brooms, and we'll have to fly close together. Wait, I need to look up where Godric's Hollow is. We can be covered by my invisibility cloak."  
Ron started to say something, then stopped. "Fine," he said instead. "Mind, I'm not too keen on this. But I don't want Sirius to get hurt. I'm in. Damn. Why am I friends with you people?"  
Hermione laughed weakly. "My broom is at my house. We'll all have to ride the Firebolt at first, to get to our houses. Ron's is at his house, too. Harry, you'd better get your stuff once we look it up," she said. "The sooner we leave, the better."  
They went into the library, looking up a map. "There," Hermione said, triumphantly, circling something. It was indeed, Godric's Hollow.  
"Be back soon," Harry said. "I'm going to get my stuff."   
He went up to the tower and got his Firebolt and cloak. But when he turned to leave, the Weasley twins stopped him.  
"Where're you going?" Fred asked.  
"Just…just going to practice my flying," Harry replied, then immediately wished he hadn't.  
"Cool. Let us go up and get our brooms, and we'll come and join you," George said, going upstairs.  
Harry threw the cloak over himself and hurried out swiftly. When he reached Ron and Hermione, he said, "We have to hurry! Fred and George are coming any minute!"  
"What? What happened?" Hermione asked, her eyes darting around as she looked for Harry.   
"I told them I was going to practice flying and they said they'd join me! Come under here, quick!" he said, lifting up the cloak.  
They clamored onto the Firebird and took off. It was very strange. For one thing, they were flying off to certain doom. For another, he wasn't used to not being able to see his broom. And lastly, the Firebolt flew differently with more people on it.  
"Jeez, Harry, learn to fly!" Ron snapped as Harry narrowly missed hitting yet another goose.  
"Sorry. Let's just fly on to Godric's Hollow. I don't think the cloak'll cover the three of us on separate broomsticks."  
They agreed, so Harry changed direction and headed towards his house. He had never been there before. What would he find? What was there? What would he remember?  
He forced his thoughts back to Voldemort. He had dueled him before, and something very strange happened to his wand. Would that be his only defense again? It was called Priori Incantatem, and it was only because his wand was Voldemort's brother. His father and mother had come out of his wand then…the only time Harry had seen them.   
"Harry, were you telling the truth about Percy…and…that dream?" Ron asked softly.  
"I'm sorry, Ron," Harry said.  
"I bet he thought I hated him," Ron said. "All the times I made fun of his cauldron bottoms, and not letting him work…Harry, why was it my brother?" He sobbed. "Why was it Percy? Of all the people in the Ministry to go into that house, why was it Perc?   
Suddenly he stopped crying. "It was just my brother. When I think that it was your parents…"  
He stopped again. "Our family is our family, our friends are our friends," Harry said. "It hurts to lose any of them."  
"I used to have an older sister," Hermione said. "She died in a car wreck when I was eight. That's why my parents were so reluctant to let me come to Hogwarts. They were scared to lose me, too."  
"What?" Ron said.  
"You never told us that," Harry said.  
"Well, I felt pretty stupid, being sad about my sister, when your parents were dead, Harry," she said. "Last year, I was once again reminded of how quickly death could come, with Cedric…"  
Her voice trailed off, and she picked it up again. "When the letter came, I knew that you would go after Sirius, Harry. And I also knew that I couldn't stand to lose you, too. You or Sirius. We have to find some way to all live. I know that if I die, so be it. But no one else can die. I can't take another loss in my life."  
Silence followed her speech, until Harry said, "We're there."  
They climbed off the broomstick, still covered in the cloak. Harry looked around. The whole place was demolished. The neighborhood was deserted as well. He stepped on something round, and stopped. Ron and Hermione did as well. "Oh," Hermione uttered.  
Harry had stepped on a cylinder-shaped piece of wood, surrounded by others and a sort of mattress.  
"My crib," he said, hardly daring to believe it.  
They could hear laughter, and Sirius' screams of pain. Harry's hands turned to fists. Suddenly, dementors surrounded them. Harry ripped the cloak off himself, pulled out his wand and yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"  
A stag erupted from his wand and drove away the dementors. But the worst was still to come. Drawn by his yell, the Death Eaters came over to him. Lucius Malfoy stepped up.  
"Well, well, the famous Harry Potter did come," he snickered. "So my Lord was correct."  
"Let me see the boy," a high pitched voice said.  
Harry froze. He knew that voice. He had heard it in real life, but, more often, in dreams. His heart's pace quickened.   
The Death Eaters parted, and Voldemort came into view. Hermione gasped, and he laughed at her.   
"Silly girl. Top of every class, are you? I was, as well, at Hogwarts. Head Boy, in fact!" he jeered.  
"And see what you have become," Hermione seethed. "Just because your father left your mother? You kill without a thought. You have destroyed the wizarding world. For what? To be hated?"  
His eyes flickered. Harry stared at Hermione, looking at her in a new light. He didn't stare for long, fully aware of the problem at hand.   
Voldemort regained himself. "You fear me, little girl."  
"I fear you, yes. But I hate more than I fear."  
Voldemort slapped her across the face. She squeezed her eyes shut, not allowing tears, while Ron grabbed the back of Harry's cloak to stop him from charging Voldemort. Hermione turned her face back, half of it red, to look Voldemort in the eye.  
"You fool!" he screeched. "I am the most powerful wizard in the world!"  
"You are not!" she yelled back. "Albus Dumbledore will always be better than you, Tom Riddle!"   
Voldemort had had enough. He swished his wand high in the air. Hermione, Harry and Ron all drew their wands, but too late. He yelled a curse, no doubt one of his own invention, and shot it at Hermione. She fell. "No!" Ron yelled.   
Voldemort rounded on Harry. "Well, well, well. I, after deciding that Avada Kedavra was to quick, made a new curse. It is merely a prolonged death. Now, Harry," he said, grinning evilly, "we dueled last time. You barely escaped. Here, you have no Portkey to return to Hogwarts."  
Out of the corner of his eyes, Harry saw Ron edging towards the Cloak. He couldn't turn his eyes, lest he give him away. None of the Death Eaters, or Voldemort himself, noticed this. They were all watching Harry with a sort of hunger in their dead eyes. Hermione stirred. Sirius looked at her anxiously. For the first time, Harry noticed he was back there, tied against one of the remaining posts of the house. When Hermione didn't move anymore, Sirius looked back at Harry. His eyes were filled with worry.   
Harry watched Ron as best as he could without moving his eyes. Very suddenly, he disappeared. "Your Mudblood friend is dead, Potter," Voldemort hissed. "As your godfather will be soon. Would you like to see his death? I can show it to you right now, if you wish."  
Harry said nothing. It was imperative that Ron get to Sirius before Voldemort did. Don't reply, and he'll keep talking, he told himself, wishing it to be true.   
"Your mother was a Mudblood fool, as well," he continued, red eyes glowing with malice. "She didn't have to die. Pitiful, stupid girl she was. Died for you, Harry. And now, she has died in vain."  
Harry tried to block out what he was saying and focus on what was happening, but it was hard. His wand is out, and mine isn't, he started, but couldn't get any farther.   
"I killed your father right here on the spot you are standing," Voldemort gloated. "He put up a fight, but very small, at that. I killed him, Harry. Strange, isn't it? How a child's death reflects the parent. For instance, I'm going to kill you, right here. Would you like to hear how your mother screamed when I killed her? She was wailing, and I laughed at her. Would you like a dementor to come close, so you can hear her before you die?"  
Harry gritted his teeth, nearing his boiling point. He remembered two years ago, when he accidentally blew up his Aunt Marge. If it hadn't been for the fact that she was a Muggle, Harry thought that she and Voldemort would get along well, considering that they both hated him. He took his mind off what was happening for a moment, and pictured Voldemort and Aunt Marge going down the aisle. When he came back down to the present, he noticed that Sirius had gone as well. Harry wished that he could convey to them to leave without him, but for one, he couldn't without Voldemort seeing, and for another, Sirius and Ron never would leave him or Hermione, even on the brink of death. But now Harry could respond to Voldemort, since Sirius and Ron were safe. Not to mention the arrival of help.  
"You're sick, you're twisted, and you're going to be killed by Dumbledore," he said.   
"I don't see Dumbledore here now, do I?" Voldemort snarled.  
"Yes you do," a voice behind him said.   
Voldemort whirled around. There, standing behind him and alight with fury, was Albus Dumbledore. There was fear in Voldemort's eyes that Harry had never seen before. The Death Eaters looked shocked.   
Before anyone could move or do anything, Voldemort's wand was at Harry's head. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.   
"Do anything, and the boy dies," Voldemort said.  
The Death Eaters pulled out their wands and pointed them at Dumbledore. His blue eyes reverberated with hate. "Let him go," he said in a voice most unlike his own.   
Voldemort smirked. "I don't think so," he said, shaking his head.   
Something like a shudder went through the Death Eaters, focusing hard on something to Voldemort's left. Before he could turn, he had been tackled by…  
"Hermione?" Harry gasped.   
Voldemort was quite taken aback. A skinny fifteen year old girl was wrestling his wand away from him! "Crucio!" he yelled, but his aim was bad. It his one of the Death Eaters. It didn't last long, because Hermione had jerked it again. "Imperio!" he tried this time.   
This time his aim was true. Hermione stopped struggling. She stood up and turned her wand on Harry. "Hermione!" Ron yelled, coming out from under the cloak.   
"Avada Kedavra!" she yelled at Harry.   
Quick as lightning, Ron pushed her out of the way, trying to screw up her aim, while Harry dodged its new route easily. Voldemort had gotten back on his feet. "Crucio!" He yelled at Dumbledore.   
Suddenly the headmaster was writhing on the ground in pain. Ron was still fighting to keep Hermione down, and he hadn't seen Sirius. It was up to Harry. "Expelliramus!" he shouted.   
The wand flew from a stunned Voldemort's hand to Harry's. Hermione stopped fighting Ron. Dumbledore stopped writhing in pain. He strode over to Harry and said, "Two wands are stronger than one, Harry, especially when they are brothers. You have my permission."  
Harry looked up at the old, wrinkled face. Could he really mean what Harry thought? Smiling slightly, Dumbledore nodded.   
Putting both wands in one hand, he took a deep breath. Panic raced across Voldemort's face, who seemed to know what was happening.   
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry bellowed, bringing the wands down with a loud crack. There was an amazing flash of green light. A phoenix song rang high through the air. The light was gone. Voldemort was dead.   
"Sue me, I was wrong," Harry said, walking over. "I killed you."  
He turned to the Death Eaters. "LOOK AT YOUR MASTER!" he yelled. "EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HELPED HIM!"  
Looking at one another, they Dissapperated.   
"Harry!" Hermione sobbed. "Oh, Harry, I tried to kill you…I can't believe myself…I don't know why I did that, Harry…oh, I'm so sorry…"  
"It's OK, Hermione," Harry said. "If it weren't for you, I'd be dead by now."  
She looked away. "I was too weak."  
"Hermione, I believe our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be happy to teach you to fight the Imperious Curse," Dumbledore said.  
"Who?" she asked.  
"I think you know him," he said, smiling. "Someone by the name of…Black?"  
"Sirius is our new teacher?" Harry asked, astonished.  
"He and Professor Lupin are co-teaching," he said. "But at the moment, we have more pressing matters. For one…where is Sirius?"  
"Right here," he said, coming up behind them. "I present to you…Cora Lestrange."  
"You may capture me, but you'll never stop the Dark Lord!" she said.   
"We already have," Dumbledore said.  
"What? Who did it?"  
"Me," Harry said bluntly.   
"You?" she screeched. "Potter! Damn you, Potter! I'll kill you! I'LL KILL YOU!"   
"Stupefy!" Dumbledore said. Her head lolled sickly in Sirius' arms. He dropped her.   
"She can go back to Azkaban," he said. "And we can go back to Hogwarts."  
"How?" Hermione asked.  
"Well, Dumbledore and I can Apperate…"  
"You can't Apperate into Hogwarts!" Hermione yelled. "How many times do I have to say it?"  
"Shut-up, dead girl," Ron said, yawning.   
"Yeah, Hermione, why aren't you dead?" Harry asked.  
She shrugged. "Not exactly up to par with inventing spells, is he?" Hermione asked.  
"What's a Par?" Ron inquired.  
"It's a Muggle term."  
"Ah," he said, yawning again. "Come on, let's go for a well-deserved lie-in."  
"Albus!" Professor McGongall said, swooping down onto them. "What's going on?"   
She looked at the ground nearby, where Voldemort's corpse lay. She screamed.  
"Minerva, Please!" Dumbledore said. "He is dead."  
She looked disbelieving. "You-Know-Who? Dead?"  
"Yes, Voldemort is dead, Professor," Hermione said.   
Ron stared at her. "He's dead Ron," she said. "We can say his name."  
He didn't reply. "How are we leaving?" he said.   
"You're not, at the moment," McGongall said. "The Ministry's coming in a few minutes. I followed you, Dumbledore, and told Arthur Weasley to follow me."  
"Professor Dumbledore, how did you know to come?" Harry asked.  
"You left the letter on the bench," he said, showing it to him. "Also, you were looking on the map. Godric's Hollow was circled."  
McGongall gasped. "Albus, we're not…"  
"We are, Minerva," he said quietly.   
"D'you guys mind if I have a look around?" Harry asked. "I mean…"  
"Go ahead," Dumbledore said, voice shaking slightly.   
Harry picked his way around the rubble. He was actually hoping for some burst of a memory, but nothing came. The closest he had come was with the Dementors in his third year. They had been placed around the school as a precaution. Whenever he got near them, he had heard his parent's voices-the only time in his life that he could remember. And he recalled…last year, when he and Voldemort had dueled, they had come out of his wand…  
He shook his head fiercely. Sirius came up behind him.   
"Hard, isn't it?" he said.  
Harry whirled around, amazed to see Sirius close to tears. "Why was he like that?" he asked suddenly. "He was so powerful, and could have done so much good…but instead, he…"  
His voice trailed off, looking down at the rubble.   
"I don't know, Harry," Sirius replied. "I guess he was just power-hungry. Even if he had become the Minister of Magic, it wouldn't have satisfied him. Some people are like that."  
"The Dursley's are dead, according to Dumbledore," Harry said. "I don't have any family left."   
"You have me," Sirius said, smiling.  
Harry smiled back. Voldemort was dead. The Death Eaters? Who knew. But the worst was over. And Harry was glad for it.   



End file.
